⚖️ UN Expert & Opposition Raise Concerns Over 22nd Amendment

• UN Communication: UN Special Rapporteur Margaret Satterthwaite warned the Government that extending retirement ages for sitting Superior Court judges risks violating international standards on judicial independence and fair trial rights. • Proposed Statutory Changes: The 22nd Amendment increases retirement ages for Supreme Court judges (65 to 67 years) and Court of Appeal judges (63 to 65 years). • Opposition Concerns: Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa echoed warnings from the legal fraternity and Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), questioning why extensions apply to sitting judges rather than future appointments. • Key Institutional Risks: • Executive/legislative interference perception due to lack of transitional safeguards. • Potential conflicts of interest if judges benefiting from extensions rule on the amendment's constitutionality. • Failure to address the backlog of 1.1 million pending cases. • Next Steps: Opposition calls for public explanation in Sinhala, Tamil, and English, alongside a required referendum prior to enactment. Learn more about these proposed reforms in this [Ada Derana coverage of the 22nd Amendment](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxsyhH9tG0s&vl=te), which provides relevant context on the gazetted bill regarding judges' retirement ages.